CASE HISTORY 11
NAME: Rambha
D.O.D 1944
SEX: Female
COMPLAINTS & DURATION
- Severe chronic Backache
- High Blood Pressure
- Diabetes
- Anemia
PREVIOUS TREATMENT:
- Analgesics
- Physiotherapy
- Anti diabetic & Anti hypertensive treatment
PROGNOSIS:
The prognosis for a cure of the spinal defect is remote even with even the most advanced surgery. At most some temporary relief is possible with analgesics. The condition is liable to exacerbate with age, leading to severe handicap, inability to move around independently or even paralysis. As for the other medical problems, they can at most be controlled with medication.
DISCUSSION
The salient features of this case are:
- Scoliosis
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Anemia
- Scoliosis
The limbs and spine normally remain straight as they grow because growth on the two sides of the limb or spine proceeds at equal rate. If the growth on one side exceeds the growth rate on the other, the structure will become curved. Unequal growth in the spine is possibly responsible for idiopathic scoliosis. Disorders of growth may not only produce angulation of the spine, they may also result in torsion. In the spine, combined with angular disturbances, they produce scoliosis.
Clinical Management
One of the first treatments of scoliosis is to prevent further curvature of the spine. Depending on the size of the curvature, this is done in any of three ways: bracing, surgery, or postural positioning through customized cushioning. Stopping the progression of the scoliosis can prevent the loss of function. Conservative or non operative treatment by the Milwaukee brace and exercises may be successful in preventing deterioration. Successful amelioration depends on early diagnosis.
Surgery if any, is performed when the patient is at the near skeletal maturity stage. However, signs and symptoms of spinal deformity cannot be changed by surgical intervention. Surgery remains primarily a cosmetic indication. Unfortunately the cosmetic effects of surgery are not necessarily stable.
- Hypertension or high blood pressure is a cardiac chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for many other conditions. Moderate elevation of arterial blood pressure leads to shortened life expectancy. Dietary and lifestyle changes can improve blood pressure control and decrease the risk of associated health complications. Drug treatment may prove necessary if lifestyle changes prove ineffective or insufficient.
- Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying protein inside red blood cells. It gives red blood cells their red color. People with anemia do not have enough hemoglobin. Severe anemia can cause low oxygen levels in vital organs such as the heart, and can lead to a heart attack.
Effects of Meditation
Rambha was 47 years when she came for meditation in 1991. She had tried every possible form of treatment, medical and non medical also.
Since young, I was suffering from a serious vertebral column deformity. I tried every type of treatment, medical, traditional and any wise, some very costly indeed, without the least result. I had to daily take pain killers. Panadol tablets were on my main menu, for breakfast, lunch, dinner and in between also.**
Aged 47 yrs, I had given up all hope. I had resigned myself to my fate, that only death will put an end to my suffering. Before, I used to attend hospital at least once or twice every month. I even had to consult private doctors, leaving me with a heavy financial burden and no lasting relief in sight. **
Her suffering knew no end. All her savings would be spent going from one doctor to another, in vain. She had even tried some healers. Her condition grew worse with age.
I was desperate for some relief. Medical doctors and so called healers could not alleviate my daily torture. I could not keep standing for too long because of the pain. Every now and then I was compelled to lie down on bed for some relief. Even a short walk was a torture. I preferred to stay at home most of the time. I had to wear a waist strap but it did not make much difference.**
Doctors were unanimous. There was no medical treatment available. Even though surgery was possible in some advanced centres overseas, results were doubtful. She was advised to accept her fate.
Over the years I consulted many doctors, both at state hospital and private practitioners. Invariably they all told me that there was no solution to my problem. I had the opportunity of consulting a very eminent specialist. He examined me and had some x-rays done.**
I asked him if there is some surgery for my ailment. Apparently there is some procedure for my condition. But, this type of delicate surgery, even if attempted in specialised centres abroad, carries the risk of paralysis. Even if there is the least mishap, even of a few millimeters during the procedure, the result can be disastrous. He advised me better to accept my condition and learn to live with it.**
She came to know about the ashram through her daughter’s friend. Desperate for some relief, she decided to give it a try. It was only afterwards that she would hesitatingly mention her problemto Yoginiji.
My daughter’s friend had joined an ashram and had been impressed by what she witnessed there. Another daughter accompanied me there….After initiation, which was itself a memorable experience, I mentioned my problem to Yoginiji. She assured me that if I carry on with my meditation it will surely help. **
Yoginiji advised her to carry on with meditation. It would surely help her condition. She would feel the changes in her body every time she meditated. The additional prana would do its work at all places where over the decades there had been serious blocks. The healing process had been initiated by the inflow of prana through deep yogic breathing and mantra repetition.
Gradually, I noticed changes in my health. Whenever I meditated I would get a lot of vibrations in my hands, legs, waist, spine and vertebral column. Afterwards the pain would be very much less. It was a miracle. **
In 2000, almost ten years after, she wrote about her ‘miracle’. She was a changed person. Her general health also benefitted from the additional prana accumulated.
No one looking at me can guess my past ordeal. I can now walk long distances without the least difficulty in spite of my fifty six years. I am no more prey to those atrocious backaches that would keep me pinned down to bed. I no longer suffer from any other health problems either.*
Such longstanding conditions like hypertension, anemia and diabetes had all been well controlled. In her condition these would definitely have worsened with age and all the medication she would be compelled to take for her scoliosis. By now they would have given rise to severe complications. But the opposite happened.
“Since the age of 30 I was suffering from high blood pressure. Later I developed diabetes. For years I had to daily take anti diabetic medication. Now I can control the diabetes without any drugs. My blood pressure is also under control with minimal medication. No longer do I get those bouts of fatigue that compelled me to lie down. I feel I have a lot of stamina and the courage to persevere. For years I had been suffering from chronic anaemia.”…“Once I started meditation my condition gradually improved. Some years back my doctor told me I am no longer anemic. In fact he jokingly advised me to donate some blood! **
Over and above all these surprising results, the main pathology she had always been told to be incurable, severe scoliosis, had in truth been completely controlled by the action of the additional prana generated from her meditation. Even though the physical deformity was still present, her condition, instead of getting worse, had in fact improved and she could move around like any other normal individual of her age.
“Last year I went to consult an eminent chiropractor and acupressure specialist. After examining me he was categorical: Anyone with such a deformity should have been long condemned to a wheelchair life! It is by God’s grace that you are still walking” he declared, “You must be doing a lot of prayer”. How was he to know that meditation saved me from being a cripple!**
Her meditation had saved her from being a cripple and leading a wheelchair life.
(*Excerpts from article by Rambha, Magazine 3, 2000, P 54-56)
(**Excerpts from article by Rambha, Magazine 4, 2011, P 96-97)
CONCLUSION
Rambha is a typical case where meditation has given amazing results. In 1991 she came when she had all but given up hope of ever leading even a near normal life. At 47, age was taking its toll. After her amazing initiation, she readily disclosed her problem and her apprehensions. Yoginiji gave the assurance of some positive result if she continues with the meditation.
She had come belatedly to the ashram. She had these problems since her early teens. Right from her initiation, the prana had started going through the whole system and slowly start its healing work. Pathological areas would go into a process of healing. With every additional intake of prana these results would be consolidated. She was never regular with her meditation. She could not be altogether cured. On and off she may have pain after some extra exertion. But she has escaped being a cripple, as her chiropodist told her.
Medical examination might show remnants of problems in the physical body. However, the prana acts on a higher plane and the healing percolates down to the physical body and deep relief is felt. In spite of age the condition did not worsen. Rather, Rambha feels herself in a much better physical condition than many of her age group.